Tag Archives: pecans

A new study by researchers at Loma Linda University Health has found that eating nuts on a regular basis strengthens brainwave frequencies associated with cognition, healing, learning, memory and other key brain functions.

An abstract of the study — which was presented in the nutrition section of the Experimental Biology 2017 meetings in San Diego, California, and published in The FASEB Journal — may be accessed online.

Nuts are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, with an unrivalled unsaturated fatty acid, plant protein, fibre, mineral, vitamin profile. Nuts also contain other bioactive compounds such as phytosterols and phenolic antioxidants.

An impressive array of studies–large and small, from around the world–have now found that people who eat nuts regularly cut their risk of heart disease by as much as half, compared to those who rarely or never eat nuts. Eating nuts daily has been linked to lower all-cause mortality.

In the study — which is titled “Nuts and brain: Effects of eating nuts on changing electroencephalograph brainwaves”– researchers found that some nuts stimulated some brain frequencies more than others. Pistachios, for instance, produced the greatest gamma wave response, which is critical for enhancing cognitive processing, information retention, learning, perception and rapid eye movement during sleep. Peanuts, which are actually legumes, but were part of the study, produced the highest delta response, which is associated with healthy immunity, natural healing, and deep sleep.

The study’s principal investigator, Lee Berk, DrPH, MPH, associate dean for research at the LLU School of Allied Health Professions, said that while researchers found variances between the six nut varieties tested, all of them were high in very beneficial antioxidants, with walnuts containing the highest antioxidant concentrations of all.

Prior studies have demonstrated that nuts benefit the body in several significant ways: protecting the heart, fighting cancer, reducing inflammation and slowing the aging process. But Berk said he believes too little research has focused on how they affect the brain.

“This study provides significant beneficial findings by demonstrating that nuts are as good for your brain as they are for the rest of your body,” Berk said, adding that he expects future studies will reveal that they make other contributions to the brain and nervous system as well.

To gather research data on nut consumption and the brain, Berk — who is best known for four decades of research into the health benefits of happiness and laughter, as well as a cluster of recent studies on the antioxidants in dark chocolate — assembled a team of 13 researchers to explore the effects of regular nut consumption on brainwave activity.

In the introduction to the study, the team noted that different kinds of nuts contain different types of antioxidants. What they didn’t know, however, was whether different nut antioxidants had different modulatory effects on brainwave frequencies response.

To find out, Berk and his colleagues tested the effects of consuming nuts on frequency modulations inside the brain. He said the human brain produces five separate types of waves — delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma — and that each wave produces its own frequency and occupies its own bandwidth. “Sort of like radio stations on a dial,” he said.

The team developed a pilot study using consenting subjects who consumed almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Electroencephalograms (EEG) were taken to measure the strength of brainwave signals. EEG wave band activity was then recorded from nine regions of the scalp associated with cerebral cortical function.

Michael Samardzija, PhD, JD, associate vice president for research affairs, says Loma Linda University researchers have been discovering the health benefits of nuts for decades. He cites multiple studies conducted by Joan Sabate, MD, DrPH, and other researchers at the School of Public Health, which have demonstrated that nuts promote cardiovascular health, cancer prevention and healthy aging.

“These results coming from Dr. Berk’s research at the School of Allied Health Professions show that nuts can now be considered one of the superfoods helping to support brain health,” Samardzija said.

The savory taste of the pecan is worth a lot more than a delicious pie from grandma — this nut may help you stay healthy for a long time thanks to the wonders of pecan nutrition.

Pecan trees grow fiercely large and provide many of these scrumptious treats that have been shown to aid in weight loss, protect the body from diseases like atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries) and diabetes, and even improve brain health.

Although many people claim that a low-fat diet is the best way to live a healthy lifestyle, the healthy fats of pecan nutrition are powerful in the production of antioxidants, reduction of inflammation and simply provide a great-tasting addition to almost any dish.

The Greeks called the walnut “the nut of Jupiter,” fit for the gods. Native to Persia, walnuts now come from California, which has over 122,000 acres of walnut trees. The tree itself is very hardy and is 15 years old before reaching full production. The average tree produces for 45 years.

Walnuts are high in unsaturated, fatty acids, iron, and B vitamins. The oil in walnuts has a tendency to absorb strong odors, so they should be kept in cold storage. Manufacturers of syrup toppings, ice cream, candy, casseroles and baking products all rely on walnuts.

Although many nuts have proven to be really beneficial to your health, studies are showing that walnuts contain almost twice as many antioxidants as other nuts. And that’s not just an interesting statistic — all of those antioxidants really do your body a lot of good. Below, we’ll take a look at two big stand-out benefits of walnuts. (more…)

Walnuts are perhaps best known for being the quintessential healthy brain-food. But who knew that walnuts were also winning top prizes for their heart-healthy, free-radical fighting, antioxidant properties as well?

Recent scientific evidence shows how the walnut may possibly be the number one food on the planet for heart healthy antioxidant support. And it’s not just that the walnut alone that was studied for its antioxidant quantity. (more…)